Jazz destroy Raptors in Triano's debut

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- If Jay Triano's first game is any
indication, the Toronto Raptors' problems are far from over
after the firing of head coach Sam Mitchell.

Deron Williams had 14 points and five assists, while Mehmet Okur
added 21 points as the Utah Jazz raced to a 114-87 drubbing of
the Raptors on Friday.

The margin of victory was the Jazz's largest of the season.

"It's the first game with different roles on offense and
defense," said Toronto point guard Jose Calderon, who had 10
points and eight assists. "We played against a pretty good team
(in) the Jazz, so we knew it was going to be tough tonight. I
think we feel comfortable doing the things that Jay wants us to
do. It was just too fast."

Williams appeared closer to prime condition in his sixth game
back from an ankle injury. The Olympic gold medalist attacked
the opposing basket early and finished with 10 points in the
first quarter on his way to a season-high scoring output.

"He's playing much better," Utah head coach Jerry Sloan said.
"He played more like the Deron Williams we've seen until he hurt
his ankle. Everybody has to learn how to adapt to those things
when they happen. He's done that. For some people it takes a
little bit longer, and that's fine, I don't have a problem with
that."

Despite trailing 10-4 early in the first quarter, the Jazz
countered with a 17-0 flurry that saw Okur - coming off a
frustrating, six-point effort against Miami - tally nine points.

Toronto fell into a pattern of perimeter jumpers and the Jazz
continued to run off long rebounds.

"They were missing some shots (and) we got in the open court
pretty well," Sloan said. "I think the desire to pass the ball
really goes a long way."

Veteran forwards Matt Harpring and Kyle Korver came off the
bench to give Utah 16 points and help extend its advantage
during the second quarter.

Harpring, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in 11
minutes, was coming off a four-game absence and an epidural
injection in his lower back on Monday that Sloan jokingly
shrugged off following the win.

"Myself, I've had about eight of them," the coach said. "I come
back every day, Matt's not that tough."

"It's good to get back on the court, honestly," the 11th-year
forward said. "My body felt better tonight and it just moved
better. It's fun when you can get on the court and move like
that and be without pain."

Toronto struggled to establish any consistency in the third
quarter as the Jazz came out of halftime with a level of energy
they were missing in two previous home losses to New Jersey and
Miami.

"We played against a team that is going to have high intensity
all of the time and I think that our guys, for the most part, we
have been through a lot in the last couple of days trying to
relearn things," Triano said. "I think until it becomes a
natural thing for us to just flow, we are going to look a little
lethargic like that."

"We put in pretty much a new offensive system yesterday and a
defensive system today," O'Neal said. "We've got to give it
time."

For its part, Utah wasn't about to make it three straight losses
at EnergySolutions Arena for the first time since April 14,
2007.

Paul Millsap had 17 points and 11 rebounds to notch his seventh
straight double-double since getting his first start on November
24 against Chicago. He also had a career-high seven assists.

"In college, I didn't pass too much," Millsap said. "I had to
try to take advantage of guys. I think this might be my career
high in assists, ever."

The third-year forward out of Louisiana Tech earned a rare
moment of gushing praise from the stoic Sloan.

"Paul Millsap, going into the game facing Chris Bosh, I mean
he's played some really tough guys," Sloan said. "His play's
just been outstanding, trying to hold us in there. And the way
he played tonight - going after the ball relentlessly, finding
rebounds, doing whatever he has to do - it's really been fun to
watch. I can't say enough about him."

Bosh had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost
their third straight game by at least 13 points.

Toronto was coming off a 132-93 loss to the Denver Nuggets on
Tuesday. Mitchell was fired on Wednesday and replaced by
Triano, who became the first Canadian-born head coach in the
NBA.